BJJ for self defense

I know BJJ as a sport is extremely popular and many new technique variations have come about over the years. I have been googling more of the self defense aspects and been looking for BJJ information geared more towards self defense that would include basic posistioning against strikes (especially from guard). I understand the Rubber Guard is good for this but looking for info on more of the old school techniques if anyone has links to them. I remember this forum used to be heavy on technique threads years back as well.

Their is a vid of Carlson blackbelts practicing self defense techniques. Here is a link to Gracie Miami videos which display a lot of self defense. http://multimedia.vgracie.com/multimedia.htm
and here is a clip of a Rickson and Royler demo that shows all three apsects of BJJ: sport, self defense, and vale tudo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP1aJ9_-uXA

Thanks RMACKD that was great stuff!

For reference of SD focussed BJJ, its hard to beat Greg Thompson and Kid Peligro's "Hand to Hand Combat" imo.

I skimmed Helio's book real quick at one of the Pan-Am vendors. Very well put together imo, but lots of the same stuff in the Royce/Charles book. Its on my "want" list. I like the Royce/Charles book for the most part, but there is a lot in there that I don't like too.

In it's typical incarnation, I think judo is better for self defense. Most of the focus in BJJ these days is very sport specific - sweeps, guard passing etc.

And Judo isn't mostly sport focussed too??? At least at most BJJ clubs the "white belt" or "basics" class covers the SD curriculum. I've never seen or heard of Judo being taught with an SD focus.

The free Gracie Academy Newsletter may have a link to an old video clip about defending punches from the guard (www.gracieacademy.com)

For old school jiu-jitsu based self-defense, I would recommend 3 places:

www.gracieacademy.com (Rorion, Ryron, Rener)

www.graciemiami.com (Pedro Valente, Gui Valente, Jimmy)

www.relsongracie.com

Thanks for all the great information!

The Gracie self-defense is pretty similar to the stuff in the Judo goshin-jutsu kata.

But let's get serious - I would betcha that if a BJJ guy got attacked by some random skell, the BJJ guy would cover up, charge in, get a bodylock, take the guy down, mount and beat the crap out of him, even if the BJJ guy practiced the Gracie self-defense stuff over and over again, simply because the crashing in, take-down, mount and GnP would be more similar to what he'd been doing against resisting opponents in class.

On a similar note, I would bet that any experienced Judo guy would probably try to cover up against an attack, grab the skell, launch him and roll him into a pancake even if he has practiced the goshin-jutsu kata over and over again because THAT would be most similar to what he's done against resisting opponents in class.

Frankly, why sweat the self-defense stuff? If you've been doing BJJ for a while, you probably have enough skills to take a guy down and pound him. And if you happen to end up on your back with the guy in your guard, either try to sweep the guy (so you can mount and pound him), push-kick him away (and try to get back to your feet), or, if the idiot gives you space (like, if he tries to stand up), bicycle kick him in the face or nuts (or both!).

what about the traingle in a street fight.

never seen it but i would think it would work well. as long as you hook the leg as to stop the slam. give the guy some elbows like anderson too.

I get what your saying...but I also was interested in guard training geared toward not getting pummelled and attacking rather than sport gi uses.

'But that ONLY works for a front confontation. If you are put in a standing rear choke or a side headlock, that doesn't make sense.'

Shen is correct.

It's a bit hard to crash tackle someone when they grab you around the neck from behind. But that would never happen for real though, right? LOL.

"It's a bit hard to crash tackle someone when they grab you around the neck from behind. But that would never happen for real though, right? LOL."

Totally agree. I know a few tough MMA guys and sport BJJ guys who struggle to get out of headlocks and standing rear chokes because they just haven't taken the time to learn the "TMA" methods of self-defense.

At the same time, if all you practice is the TMA/GJJ self-defense techniques with no resistance, you will not have the competent grappling skill and toughness to pull it off under duress. You need both.

Umm, like, training method and all that...